See All

Preferences

My Communities

My Discussions

My Email Digests

I am a 45 year old male and will need total knee replacement of both knees. This is the only remaining option. Sitting, standing, and walking cause severe pain and discomfort which also occurs during sleep. My question is whether to replace both at the same time or do one at a time. My doctor wants to do one at a time to delay any surgery as long as possible due to my age but I do not want to fix one knee but still have the pain and limitations. I am aware of the post-surgery lifestyle changes and this is not a problem. My thought is to have bilateral replacement and not worry about the additional surgeries down the road as these will have to happen either way.

I would like to hear from anyone who has had both knees replaced and their thoughts on waiting or doing both together.

Thanks for your Reply!

151 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI am a 45 year old male and will need total knee replacement of both knees. This is the only remaining option. Sitting, standing, and walking cause severe pain and discomfort which also occurs during sleep. My question is whether to replace both at the same time or do one at a time. My doctor wants to do one at a time to delay any surgery as long as possible due to my age but I do not want to fix one knee but still have the pain and limitations. I am aware of the post-surgery lifestyle changes and this is not a problem. My thought is to have bilateral replacement and not worry about the additional surgeries down the road as these will have to happen either way.

I would like to hear from anyone who has had both knees replaced and their thoughts on waiting or doing both together.

I had a total knee replacement.And trust me once you have one done.You won't want to go back for another one.My doctor will do both at the same time.Because of that reason.

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI had a total knee replacement.And trust me once you have one done.You won't want to go back for another one.My doctor will do both at the same time.Because of that reason.

_swank_ responded:

You might want to ask on the Joint Replacement Board as there are a couple people that have had it done. I had a partial knee replacement and there's no way I'd do both at the same time. You need to think about the logistics of getting around afterward. Getting up off a chair, the toilet, the car, etc. It's extremely difficult. Not to mention twice the blood loss during surgery and a longer time under anesthesia. What if there are complications with one or both knees? Lots to think about.

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementYou might want to ask on the Joint Replacement Board as there are a couple people that have had it done. I had a partial knee replacement and there's no way I'd do both at the same time. You need to think about the logistics of getting around afterward. Getting up off a chair, the toilet, the car, etc. It's extremely difficult. Not to mention twice the blood loss during surgery and a longer time under anesthesia. What if there are complications with one or both knees? Lots to think about.

taterbug1949 responded:

I know several people that have had both done at one time and were very pleased with the outcome. I only had one and I wasn't pleased at all. I still have problems with my knee. My hamstring would never stretch back to the right degree. My knee will sometimes give way and I almost fall. I have to walk with a cane because of balance problems. My knee hurts sometimes more than it did before surgery. I really need surgery on the left knee but I won't have it done. I am also very susceptible to staff infections also.

Ann

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI know several people that have had both done at one time and were very pleased with the outcome. I only had one and I wasn't pleased at all. I still have problems with my knee. My hamstring would never stretch back to the right degree. My knee will sometimes give way and I almost fall. I have to walk with a cane because of balance problems. My knee hurts sometimes more than it did before surgery. I really need surgery on the left knee but I won't have it done. I am also very susceptible to staff infections also.

Go ahead and do both knees, as long as you have some help the first week or so at home. Make sure you have a sports medicine or very knowleadgible surgeon perform the procedures, this is no job for a piker!! No lies about the pain, but it is most intense the first week, while in the hospital. Don't let the pain get above level five on a one to ten (ten being crying time) I did once in the hospital, and wouldn't let that happen to anyone!!

At home w/bilateral TKR, you will learn to walk all over again, it's tolerable but interesting.

Good luck !!

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementGo ahead and do both knees, as long as you have some help the first week or so at home. Make sure you have a sports medicine or very knowleadgible surgeon perform the procedures, this is no job for a piker!! No lies about the pain, but it is most intense the first week, while in the hospital. Don't let the pain get above level five on a one to ten (ten being crying time) I did once in the hospital, and wouldn't let that happen to anyone!!

At home w/bilateral TKR, you will learn to walk all over again, it's tolerable but interesting.

Good luck !!

grammie72008 responded:

I had both done at the same time,and i would do it again.I think if your in good health is should be ok.my doctor thought i was nuts but i insisted so they did it i was 50 i was in pain fo ten long years and had to keep working,or i couldof never had the sx due to insurance.

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI had both done at the same time,and i would do it again.I think if your in good health is should be ok.my doctor thought i was nuts but i insisted so they did it i was 50 i was in pain fo ten long years and had to keep working,or i couldof never had the sx due to insurance.

tuffmama1944 responded:

I had bilateral knee replacement surgery 3 1/2 years ago. I was 61. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I originally planned to do both because my husband was retiring soon and I didn't think I would have the insurance. As it turned out, I preferred doing both at once. I don't have to go back!!! It was difficult, particularly because I was out of shape physically. I missed three months out of work. I was fortunate that our hospital has a joint camp and an inpatient rehab center. My doctors had to fight my insurance company to get the inpatient rehab, but it was worth every penny they paid. So I was in the hospital a total of 11 days. I had outpatient therapy twice a week for a long time, too. But my legs could bend much further than they expected, and I could straighten them completely before I was through. My doctor is amazed every time I see him. I hope this helps you.

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI had bilateral knee replacement surgery 3 1/2 years ago. I was 61. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I originally planned to do both because my husband was retiring soon and I didn't think I would have the insurance. As it turned out, I preferred doing both at once. I don't have to go back!!! It was difficult, particularly because I was out of shape physically. I missed three months out of work. I was fortunate that our hospital has a joint camp and an inpatient rehab center. My doctors had to fight my insurance company to get the inpatient rehab, but it was worth every penny they paid. So I was in the hospital a total of 11 days. I had outpatient therapy twice a week for a long time, too. But my legs could bend much further than they expected, and I could straighten them completely before I was through. My doctor is amazed every time I see him. I hope this helps you.

debit50183 responded:

I am a female who had both knees replaced at the same time when I was 55 years old. I prayed before deciding to have the surgery and asked for God's best in my situation and that's exactly what happened.

My doctor said being very overweight and having severe RA would hold me back. It was very rough when I first woke up after the surgery, They even got me up the afternoon of my surgery to use the bathroom. That was really hard, but not unbearable. Each day got easier and easier. I highly recommend doing the therapy. To be able to rise up and sit down without being in agony is GREAT!

Definitely do both knees at one time. Get the pain and rehab over all at once. Even with the things against me, I was back to work one week earlier than the doctor thought I would be. I consider it to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. I love moving around with NO PAIN!

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI am a female who had both knees replaced at the same time when I was 55 years old. I prayed before deciding to have the surgery and asked for God's best in my situation and that's exactly what happened.

My doctor said being very overweight and having severe RA would hold me back. It was very rough when I first woke up after the surgery, They even got me up the afternoon of my surgery to use the bathroom. That was really hard, but not unbearable. Each day got easier and easier. I highly recommend doing the therapy. To be able to rise up and sit down without being in agony is GREAT!

Definitely do both knees at one time. Get the pain and rehab over all at once. Even with the things against me, I was back to work one week earlier than the doctor thought I would be. I consider it to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. I love moving around with NO PAIN!

severngirl responded:

I had bilateral knee replacements 4 years ago in my late 50's. My symptoms were the same as yours; constant debilitating pain. I highly recommend you do both at once. After day 3, I was in less pain than prior to surgery. Post surgery, I have returned to gardening, tennis, walking long distances and thoroughly enjoying life. The post op for bilateral is not bad at all. I came home on day 4 with a pair of crutches to get up the 8 steps into my home. Began outpatient therapy on day 5 and returned to work in 3 1/2 weeks doing light duty. After 12 days I got rid of the crutches and the walker and the cane. I highly recommend you go for it.

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI had bilateral knee replacements 4 years ago in my late 50's. My symptoms were the same as yours; constant debilitating pain. I highly recommend you do both at once. After day 3, I was in less pain than prior to surgery. Post surgery, I have returned to gardening, tennis, walking long distances and thoroughly enjoying life. The post op for bilateral is not bad at all. I came home on day 4 with a pair of crutches to get up the 8 steps into my home. Began outpatient therapy on day 5 and returned to work in 3 1/2 weeks doing light duty. After 12 days I got rid of the crutches and the walker and the cane. I highly recommend you go for it.

juruiz responded:

Hi, I have both knee replacements, I had my most painfill replaced first and waited 14 months for my second, it is personally, not medically, recomended to wait at least 4 monthes when you will not have any pain from the first. Having both knees bad it takes 3 months to through away the cane then when you get your second it only takes 5 weeks to through away the kane. It has been 4 years since my last surgery and i feel great. Some medical plans wont pay both in the same calender year. This is another reason. Say one in Nov. and the other in Feb. or March. Good luck and think about it ASAP because the year is ending soon. God Bless
Juan Ruiz
Puerto Rico

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementHi, I have both knee replacements, I had my most painfill replaced first and waited 14 months for my second, it is personally, not medically, recomended to wait at least 4 monthes when you will not have any pain from the first. Having both knees bad it takes 3 months to through away the cane then when you get your second it only takes 5 weeks to through away the kane. It has been 4 years since my last surgery and i feel great. Some medical plans wont pay both in the same calender year. This is another reason. Say one in Nov. and the other in Feb. or March. Good luck and think about it ASAP because the year is ending soon. God Bless
Juan Ruiz
Puerto Rico

license0822 responded:

I had both done at the same time. One hospital stay, one rehab, one time off from work. Painful at first but well worth it. Its been almost 4 years now (I'm 67) and still no pain

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI had both done at the same time. One hospital stay, one rehab, one time off from work. Painful at first but well worth it. Its been almost 4 years now (I'm 67) and still no pain

LOL1939 responded:

Mark, I've had both hips replaced in the last 4 years, 2 months apart (my doc won't do two at once). That was a good choice for me, as I overlapped the recovery times and recovered from both together. I recovered very rapidly, never having to use even a cane or crutches, never using a walker after getting home from the hospital. Okay, so I'm a rapid healer. Then I had one knee done. Different story altogether. It's much harder to recover from knee replacement. To fully recover, I'm told, it takes a year. At five months post surgery, it's still very difficult to get up off the floor or put my weight on the replaced knee when down on the floor. I can walk fine, but I still have to take each stair with two feet instead of one. Don't even THINK of having both knees done at once, as you won't have a good leg to stand on, climb, or bend down on. Knee replacement is much more complicated. Two at once will leave you a cripple for at least a year. Don't do it!!

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementMark, I've had both hips replaced in the last 4 years, 2 months apart (my doc won't do two at once). That was a good choice for me, as I overlapped the recovery times and recovered from both together. I recovered very rapidly, never having to use even a cane or crutches, never using a walker after getting home from the hospital. Okay, so I'm a rapid healer. Then I had one knee done. Different story altogether. It's much harder to recover from knee replacement. To fully recover, I'm told, it takes a year. At five months post surgery, it's still very difficult to get up off the floor or put my weight on the replaced knee when down on the floor. I can walk fine, but I still have to take each stair with two feet instead of one. Don't even THINK of having both knees done at once, as you won't have a good leg to stand on, climb, or bend down on. Knee replacement is much more complicated. Two at once will leave you a cripple for at least a year. Don't do it!!

southernone responded:

I had one knee replacement 10 months ago. I can't imagine doing both at the same time. You would need to have round-the-clock care for several weeks and the the therapy would be excruciating.
I don't look forward to having the other knee done --I will have to at some point but I could not have dealt with 2 at a time.
There is a lot of pain and discomfort afterward.
take it one at a time

Thanks for your Reply!

Report This| Share this:Bilateral Knee ReplacementI had one knee replacement 10 months ago. I can't imagine doing both at the same time. You would need to have round-the-clock care for several weeks and the the therapy would be excruciating.
I don't look forward to having the other knee done --I will have to at some point but I could not have dealt with 2 at a time.
There is a lot of pain and discomfort afterward.
take it one at a time

Related Drug Reviews

Report Problems With Your Medications to the FDA

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

The opinions expressed in WebMD Communities are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. These opinions do not represent the opinions of WebMD. Communities are not reviewed by a WebMD physician or any member of the WebMD editorial staff for accuracy, balance, objectivity, or any other reason except for compliance with our Terms and Conditions. Some of these opinions may contain information about treatments or uses of drug products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.

Do not consider Communities as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your care plan or treatment. WebMD understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified health care provider. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.